The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-10-13

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: enoughg wonld she make the seriou'
. sacrifice inrolved'
4 As be approached the house il wa'
! about ten o'clock, and all The men were
! a, work. He Knocked a, the front door
} instead OF the side door as usual, and Sibbil
la herself opened il and gaxed a. him with
some considerable surprise in her hazel
, eyes, quickly changing to al expression Of
pleasure. which Richard did not fail 70
note. aud which filled him with JOY and
anxiety.
why. Richard, what briogs thee here
at this bour?' was her exclamation.
"Sibbilla." be said. Il wish 10 see thee, :
and stepping in, he closed the door, and
they both stood in the wide ball, obscurely
lighted by the traasoms at each end. He
paused moment TO recover his control,
and then spoke in low vibrating tone;
II am going TO leave the farm in order to
study art. l shall have to give up my
member ship in the society as thee knows.
Father says he will leave me nothing il
do. aud | know my mother agrees with
him, But | am not afraid, All that |
ask is that thee will approve Of my decis
lou aud will become my wife as soon as ]
sm abe to offer thee a home
AT this supreme moment Of resolve all
the strength which for generations bad
been nurtured by the noble theories Of
solf.reliance, all the passion which hal
for generations been muilled aud smooth
cred under the narrow Quaker system Of
iormality and repression, burst forth and
were expressed 10 the face Of Sibbilla Yer.
non. She seemed to rise in statue, aud
laying one hand on his arm aud passing
the other around his neck, she said
Richard, will come to thee then or |
will go with thee now.
The tone was low and the words we're
without haste, but he who heard it felt 10
| his inmost soul that no oath could be
stronger
THANK God aud thee, he uttered, and
for the first times in their lives each felt
the magic meaning OF kiss and love.
Seated on the wooden 'settee, which
is the common furniture OF the country
hail. he told her bis fathers words and
action and his own unaterable determine |
tion to seek his future in art. II was
agreed that they should be married by
magistrate as soon as Richard should have
an income Of 800 a year.
Full Of quiet joy be went home an
nounced his intended marriage and imme.
diate departure, packed his trunk, and |
told Moses TO have the dearborn ready at
six o'clock in the evening to take him to
the railway station. After the five O'Clock
supper the members Of the family main
tanned almost entire silence, his mother
quietly crying, and his father reading the
''Book OF Discipline" his fayorate litera
ture"
The dearborn drove up with Nose who
had been TO the station with the milk, and
stopping at the country store which was
also the postotiice, had brought letter
for Richard. 1t was rather unusual for
any member of the household to receive 8
letter and therefore Nose announced il
with considerable emphasis, addressing
his master by the first name, as is the Gus
tom in strict families:
Joseph, hy'ur letter for Richard.
Hiram sez it's letter from York, and
pears as il it mount be on bzness /"
Joseph took the letter, aud resisting
strong inclination to open it, passed it to
his son. 1t was from the firm in New
York to whom he had sent the copy Of his
picture. and it read:
New York, January, 49,.
Dear Sir: We have the qualification OF
informing you that the study you sent u
on sale has attracted the attention OF one
Of our patrons, to whom we hava parted it
for $500. DeductiDgiconmission, storage,
insurage, insurance, etc, as per enclosed
statement, leaving net balance Of 1927. 62.
for which fad our check herewith
You mention a duplicate OF the study
yet in your possession. We will take that
at the same figures, cash on delivery, ana
will give you an order for five more
studies to be completed within year,
Respectfully,
Smiles, Wiles q Co.
As he read this letter. the check fell
from bis hand on the table. The sight OF
the colored and stamped paper was too
much for his father. Glaucing at the
arge amount, as much as be received
for the best wheat crop his farm could
raise. be snstched the letter from bis sons
hand and eagerly read 1T. Richard stood
by in silence.
what does be mean by the duplicate
study?" said the father in an uncertain
voice.
"He means" said Richard quietly, "the
picture which you threw IN the fire this
morning"
A new light dawned Oh bis fathers
mind. SO long as bis sons taste seemed
nothing but q time and money wasting
form OF idleness ii had no redeeming fea-
lures; but the incredible fact that there
are people willing TO pay hundreds Of dol
lars apiece for such vain images now stood
right before him. He was too shrewd TO
misunderstood II aud its results
Richard. /" he said with sof,ened voice.
II desire that thee would postpone leav-
ing US for few days. Thy mother and
will accompany thee to the city and will
be present at the ceremony. think Sib
billss parents will also not refuse to be
present"
As he vent be said to Mofe, who was